There's a moment at Pebbly Beach that people talk about long after they get home. You're eating breakfast at the picnic table outside your tent, coffee in hand, watching the sun come up over the Pacific. And then a mob of eastern grey kangaroos comes down the beach — not to a waterhole, not through the bush, but across actual beach sand, between the waves and the campsite. They do this every morning.
That's Murramarang. It's one of those campgrounds that sounds exaggerated until you've been.
Murramarang National Park stretches along a 44-kilometre section of the NSW south coast between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla, protecting a string of beaches, headlands, and coastal bush that's some of the most beautiful in the state. It has five campgrounds — each with a different character, different facilities, and different reasons to choose it. This guide covers all of them.
The campgrounds#
Depot Beach#
Depot Beach is the flagship campground and the one most people mean when they say "we're going to Murramarang." It sits in a wide clearing of coastal bush with the beach a two-minute walk through the trees, and Durras Lake forming a calm lagoon at the south end of the campground.
The wallabies here are prolific. By late afternoon they begin appearing at the edges of the campground; by dusk there are dozens grazing between the tents. It's one of the more reliable wildlife encounters in NSW — something that comes as a genuine surprise to first-timers expecting to see maybe a couple animals from a distance.
Facilities: Hot showers, flush toilets, powered and unpowered sites suitable for tents and small camper trailers. BBQ facilities and picnic tables throughout. Sites are spacious and generally well-separated by bush.
Beach: A long, calm beach with a protected northern end that's good for swimming. The surf at the southern end gets bigger. The lagoon at Durras Lake is ideal for kayaking and the water is usually warm.
Access: 2WD accessible, about 3.5 hours from Sydney (270 km). Sealed road to the campground. Not suitable for large caravans or motorhomes — the access road narrows and the sites are not designed for big rigs.
Booking: NSW Parks online or 1300 072 757. Books out months in advance for school holidays and long weekends — especially Easter, which fills within hours of the booking window opening.
Best for: Families, couples, first-time national park campers. The combination of facilities, wildlife, beach, and lagoon makes it the most well-rounded campground in the park.
CampWatch note: Depot Beach is consistently one of the most in-demand campgrounds in NSW. If it's showing fully booked, set an alert — cancellations trickle through in the weeks before every school holiday period.
Pebbly Beach#
Pebbly Beach is smaller, less polished, and more beloved. Twenty-three sites on gravel platforms set back from the beach, cold showers (not hot — worth knowing), tank water that must be boiled before drinking, and a strict limit on vehicle size (caravans under 4.57 m only). On paper, it's the lesser campground. In practice, it's the one people request by name.
The kangaroos are the reason. They come onto the beach — not just near it — at dawn and dusk. If you're there at sunrise, you'll have the beach to yourself, the kangaroos, and nothing else. It's the kind of thing that makes you understand why people book this campground the minute the window opens and then do it again every year.
Facilities: Cold showers, toilets, unpowered gravel sites, BBQs, picnic tables. Tank water only — boil before drinking. Bring extra drinking water.
Beach: Smaller and more sheltered than Depot Beach. Good swimming when conditions are calm. The rock platforms at the southern end are excellent for rock pooling with kids.
Access: 2WD accessible. Caravans and camper trailers accepted under 4.57 m length only. About 10 minutes from Depot Beach — they share the same general access road south of Bawley Point.
Booking: NSW Parks online. Smaller site count means it fills faster than Depot Beach — and it's already one of the most competed-for bookings on the south coast.
Best for: Wildlife lovers, couples, small families, anyone who has been to Depot Beach and wants something quieter with more character.
Pretty Beach#
Pretty Beach campground sits near Kioloa, about 20 minutes south of Pebbly Beach along the coast road. It has a different feel to the northern campgrounds — more open, with powered sites available and cabin accommodation adjacent — making it the most family-facility-oriented option in the park.
The beach itself is exactly what the name suggests: a sheltered crescent of sand facing north, calm water, good for kids.
Facilities: Powered and unpowered sites, flush toilets, showers, BBQs, picnic tables. Adjacent NRMA Murramarang resort offers cabins and resort facilities. The campground itself is the national park section; the resort is operated separately.
Access: 2WD accessible, sealed road. Suitable for caravans and motorhomes.
Booking: NSW Parks for the national park sites; NRMA separately for resort accommodation.
Best for: Families with young children who want the national park experience with powered sites and the option of upgrades nearby. Also a good backup option when Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach are fully booked.
North Head campground#
North Head is the quietest of the Murramarang campgrounds — tucked into bush behind the headland, with walking track access to Honeysuckle Beach. It suits walkers and those who want to escape the more popular campgrounds without leaving the park.
Facilities: Basic — toilets, BBQs, picnic tables. No showers. Bring drinking water.
Access: 2WD accessible. Smaller vehicle access — check NPWS for current caravan suitability.
Booking: NSW Parks online.
Best for: Walkers, couples, anyone wanting a quieter alternative to Depot Beach with direct coastal track access.
South Durras and Durras North#
At the northern end of the park near Durras Lake, these two campgrounds are the most caravan-friendly options in Murramarang. Five campground areas total in this precinct, with lakeside sites and vehicle-based camping with good facilities.
Durras Lake is a large tidal lagoon — good for kayaking and fishing — and the area has a different, more relaxed character than the southern campgrounds.
Facilities: Toilets, showers, powered and unpowered sites, BBQs. More suitable for caravans and motorhomes than the southern campgrounds.
Booking: NSW Parks online.
Best for: Caravanners, families with larger setups, anyone who prioritises lakeside camping over beach-front sites.
Choosing your campground#
| Campground | Showers | Powered sites | Caravan-friendly | Wildlife highlight | Difficulty to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depot Beach | Hot | Yes | No (small vans only) | Kangaroos at dusk | Very hard |
| Pebbly Beach | Cold | No | No (under 4.57m) | Kangaroos on beach | Very hard |
| Pretty Beach | Yes | Yes | Yes | Wallabies | Moderate |
| North Head | No | No | Check NPWS | Coastal birds | Moderate |
| South Durras / Durras North | Yes | Yes | Yes | Lakeside wildlife | Easier |
When to visit#
Autumn (March–May): The south coast stays warm well into May — water temperatures around 19–20°C make swimming realistic, and the crowds thin sharply after Easter. This is the best window for Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach if you missed the summer and Easter rush.
Winter (June–August): Quieter, cooler, and underrated. Whale watching season begins in late May–June as humpbacks migrate north along the coast. The bush is green, campfires are allowed, and you'll often find availability at campgrounds that were booked solid three months ago.
Easter and school holidays: The highest demand periods. Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach book out within hours of the booking window opening. If you're targeting these periods, set up a CampWatch alert the moment you know your dates — cancellations come through regularly in the weeks prior.
Summer: Popular but hot. Flies and heat can be a factor in January–February. Christmas bookings open 12 months in advance.
Getting there#
Murramarang is approximately 270 km south of Sydney — about 3.5 to 4 hours depending on traffic and which section of the park you're heading to.
The main route: Princes Highway south from Sydney to Batemans Bay, then south along the coast road through Bawley Point (for Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach) or continuing to Kioloa (for Pretty Beach). Check NPWS conditions before travelling — the coast road south of Bawley Point can be affected by flooding and occasional closures.
Booking#
All Murramarang campgrounds require advance booking — no walk-ins. Book through NSW Parks or call 1300 072 757 (7am–7pm daily).
Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach are among the most competed-for bookings in NSW. CampWatch checks for availability every 10 minutes and texts you the moment a matching site opens up. No account, no app — enter your phone number, campground, and dates, and the alerts handle the rest. Set alerts for multiple campgrounds at once if you're flexible on which one you end up at.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best campground in Murramarang National Park?
It depends what you're after. Depot Beach has the best facilities (showers, flush toilets, large sites) and the famous lagoon with wallabies at dusk — it's the most popular overall. Pebbly Beach is smaller and more intimate, with kangaroos that actually come onto the sand. Pretty Beach suits families with powered sites and cabins nearby. North Head is the quietest option with direct beach access.
Are there kangaroos at Murramarang National Park?
Yes — Murramarang is famous for it. Eastern grey kangaroos graze on Pebbly Beach itself at dawn and dusk, often while campers are having breakfast nearby. Wallabies are prolific throughout Depot Beach and Pretty Beach campgrounds, especially in the hour around sunset.
How far is Murramarang National Park from Sydney?
About 3.5 to 4 hours from Sydney depending on traffic — roughly 270 km south via the Princes Highway to Batemans Bay, then down the coast road. Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach are near Bawley Point; Pretty Beach is near Kioloa, about 20 minutes further south.
Do I need to book Murramarang campgrounds in advance?
Yes — all campgrounds in Murramarang require advance booking through NSW Parks (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au or 1300 072 757). No walk-ins are accepted. Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach book out months in advance for school holidays and long weekends. If they show as full, set a CampWatch alert — cancellations happen regularly and rebook quickly.
Can I bring my dog to Murramarang National Park?
No. Pets are not permitted in Murramarang National Park, including in campgrounds, on walking tracks, and in day-use areas. This is standard policy for NSW national parks.